The Inevitable Crisis
by Keep Calm and Be Ninja
Summary: <html><head></head>With Angeal dead, Autumn takes it as a wake-up call to wrap up what she came to do in the first place. In order to do so, she must sever all ties she made with Shinra, including Zack, Cloud and her other friends. Dreams come to her of a disturbing future due to her Ancient abilities that she accidentally let increase. Is it inevitable, or can she alter what destiny has written?</html>
1. Adjustments

**The Inevitable Crisis**

**Chapter 1-Adjusting**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FFVII CC **

Keep Calm: So, on to the Second Installment of the Search for Freedom series!

Autumn: Angeal...

Zack: *whimpers*

Keep Calm: Yeah, I know, very sad :( I always hated the fact that Angeal died. So this is going to be a very sad chapter, kind of, and a little bittersweet. Bits of humor (I hope) and please do not hate me for updating sporadically.

Oh yeah, and the man mentioned when Angeal talks about as his father is whom I suspect Gillian married after Hollander, and wanted a good example for Angeal in his life instead of a twisted scientist. The Buster Sword had to come from someone, right? And Gillian said that the sword has been in the family for generations. So why not his side of the family? It's less likely to be Gillian's side, but you never know I suppose...

Also, in this second story I will only have 1st POV for Autumn, and 3rd POV for the rest. Having so many 1st POV's is a little dizzying for me, so this way it's a little easier.

Autumn: I present Chapter 1~Adjusting

_"Grief is not as heavy as guilt, but it takes more away from you." -_Veronica Roth, _Insurgent_

* * *

><p><em>"...and that is why you must hold fast to your dreams. Dreams, and honor." Angeal lectured sternly, front facing the gushing fountain in Sector 8.<em>

_It was late in the day, when the sea of bustling Midgar residents thinned to a steady trickle. _

_The brunette sitting on the bench behind yawned quietly. "Yeah..."_

_"Autumn, you need to keep listening when I'm telling you something important. This is the fifth time." Stern, glowing blue eyes rounded on her bored form, chin beginning to slide from underneath her propped hand._

_"Right..."_

_"_Autumn_." Angeal sharpened his tone, muscled arms crossing over each other._

_Suddenly her bright sapphire eyes jumped to life, clouding with guilt. "Oh, sorry Angeal. What...what were you saying?"_

_Another sigh escaped the esteemed SOLDIER's lips, fingers rubbing his throbbing temples. "Things you clearly don't care about. Maybe I should just hand you over to Sephiroth and Genesis tomorrow."_

_Immediately the 3rd Class was on her knees, fingers laced tightly together as her puppy eyes gazed up at her mentor. "NO! Please, I'm sorry, I'll pay more attention!"_

_"Hmph, right. Like how you said you'd pay attention the last five times?" He lightly teased, staring towards HQ._

_Autumn's face flushed in response. "You've been keeping count?! What kind of...ugh, okay, I know I haven't been paying attention lately, but it's all kind of the same now."_

_Angeal snapped his attention back to his student. "It isn't about repetition, it's about getting principles through that thick skull of yours. If you really want to become 1st, you have to have dreams and honor."_

_"But _why_? Why do I need them? I mean, I became SOLDIER without dreams, and I don't really understand honor, so...why is it important?" The 3rd questioned, shooting up from her begging position. Strands of hair began to free themselves from her ponytail, a few stray passer-byes glancing at them either oddly or in rapt admiration._

_It wasn't every day they saw a revered 1st and his pupil-who was also the only female to make it into SOLDIER so far-out in public._

_"You really want to hear the back story that comes along with this explanation?" Angeal quirked a brow, the corners of his mouth tilting upward._

_"Sure, why not?" The brunette shrugged, seating herself on the bench once more._

_"You're definitely one of my rarer students to be more fascinated with my stories than with my lectures." The dark-haired 1st chuckled._

_Autumn smirked. "What can I say? Stories are waaayy more interesting than listening to people rant."_

_"Remember: I never agreed to not handing you over to Sephiroth and Genesis tomorrow." Angeal pointed out, a warning underlying his stern yet teasing tone._

_"You mean dump me so you can go home and water your plants?" _

_"You know, sitting here and telling you a story is completely optional for me. I could just make you keep fighting yesterday's data while I sit and read a good book." _

_"...I'm sorry, please begin." The brunette replied, sobering up._

_"*sigh* It started back when I still lived in Banora. As you already know, I was poor, so resources were very limited. I grew to appreciate what I had, and my dreams of living a better life, and a way to support my mother, kept my determination burning. If I hadn't held onto my dreams, I wouldn't be here right now." _

_The brunette's face twisted in confusion. "So...hold onto your dreams, and you can achieve anything, and it's also a great motivator. Got it. What about the honor part?"_

_Angeal raked a hand through his swept back hair. "My father was a SOLDIER 1st Class a long time ago, but before that he was just a simple blacksmith. To obtain his rank, he didn't pull any strings or cheat his way in. He kept his honor and worked hard at it. Honor, in my family, is highly valued. It is what the Buster Sword represents. _

_My father inherited it from his father, and so on, and ensured it never went through wear, tear or rust. Honor is something you should value, too. Someone who has no honor has no compassion or heart. You should always do what you feel is morally right, Autumn. Don't let others decide that for you. If I hadn't had my dreams and honor, my life might have turned out rather different."_

_"So, I must remember I don't have to be indecisive."_

_"If that's all you got from that, you're officially as bad as Zack." _

_A smile played at Autumn's lips. "I'm kidding! Okay, so I should value honor because it defines me as myself. If I just follow what everyone else is doing, and just blend in, I'll begin to forget who I really am. And then the consequences later on could affect my life entirely, especially if I don't follow my dreams. Right?"_

_One of the corner's of Angeal's mouth curved upward in a smirk. "You're starting to get it. But you've still got a long ways to go."_

_Her cheeks puffed in protest. "What? I should be a 2nd by now! Zack's already one!"_

_"Zack's been training longer than you. And he just got promoted. You, on the other hand, are still pretty naive and learning the ropes. Anyways, we both need to go home for the day. Don't expect me to go easy on you tomorrow just because I shared a part of my past with you. You need the training."_

_"I know-I've been relying too heavily on hand-to-hand combat instead of my swordsmanship. I barely made it out of that situation with Harvey alive." Autumn sighed, blowing her segmented bangs out of her face._

_ Angeal chuckled, roughly rubbing the top of her head as he stood. She grunted in protest, swatting his hand away._

_"Ugh...night Angeal." The 3rd grumbled, beginning to walk the opposite direction where her apartment was located._

_"Night. Remember: embrace your dreams. You need them if you want to accomplish anything."_

_"Yeah, yeah."_

* * *

><p><strong>With Cloud<strong>

The ride in the chopper was a dead quiet one. Cloud sat next to Autumn, watching to make sure she didn't faint or reopen her stitches again.

When he finally managed to enter the room back in the bathhouse, the first thing he saw was Angeal on the ground.

It didn't really take a genius to see what'd happened, especially when the blonde saw Zack and Autumn. It looked like Zack had been crying, and Autumn was just standing there dumbfounded.

Well, regardless, he was alarmed when he saw blood starting to drip down Autumn's back. Her stitches had reopened, and she hadn't bothered to heal them. Cloud made her swallow a Hi-Potion, closing the wounds with his Cura materia.

She was so uncoordinated by shock that Cloud ended up having to guide her by the hand. Her eyes were glossy and glazed over, though it was the emptiness in them he found the saddest.

He never knew Angeal really well-the man was practically a celebrity-but he knew he had the highest moral out of all the SOLDIERs. Cloud pictured it like losing his mom, and then understood how they felt, even if it was just to an extent.

Zack was too worn out emotionally to talk a lot. The blonde doubted he really wanted to, anyway. All they spoke about for just a few minutes was about who was going to keep the Buster Sword. Autumn convinced Zack to take it, since she'd already gotten a commissioned sword from the deceased 1st.

After it was settled, both of them went silent.

When they reached HQ, Autumn didn't move. She just kept staring down at her lap lifelessly. They had to bury Angeal in Modeoheim since there was no way to bring him back with them when Tseng finally managed to radio help last night. Autumn tried to convince him, but there were too many problems. A big one was how to get his body transferred without making a fuss.

Cloud gently nudged her side. "Sakura, we're back. We're at HQ."

"Right. Let's get this over with." She replied, her voice cold and dead as the door slide open.

The polluted smog entered Cloud's lungs, a rather instant reminder that he was in fact back in Midgar instead of the crisp, snowy expanse that was Modeoheim.

Zack got up before she did, extending a hand to her when the blonde started to help her up.

"I'm fine."

She stood, trudging out the chopper ungracefully, feet staggering for proper balance. Cloud hung back with Zack, wondering if his new friend needed anything. Unlike with the ravenette, the infantryman knew how Autumn worked.

"There she goes. I guess neither of us...really know how to deal with this yet." Zack tried to force a smile, barely succeeding.

"It's okay. I don't think anyone really knows how to handle these types of situations. You've just gotta take some time to sort it all out." Cloud said reassuringly.

Sarrel hopped out with Tseng in suit, striding down the roof with a slight limp.

"Hey, what happens, happens. It sucks that Angeal's...well, you know...but I think he'd want you to keep on going as you normally do and smile like an idiot. I mean, that's why he gave you that humongous thing, right?" The auburn-haired infantryman pointed to the Buster Sword.

Zack glanced at the sword on his back, neck craning to spot the golden handle. "Yeah..."

Then he paused. "Wait...did you say I smile like an idiot?"

"Huh? Who said that? Er...I've gotta meet up with my CO. I'm sure there's a debrief ahead. You too, Cloud. Glyphan doesn't like being waited on." Sarrel spoke quickly, jabbing at the button on the elevator.

"I don't have an idiotic smile." Zack puckered his lips in protest.

Cloud looked apologetically at his friend. "Sorry Zack, but he's right...I mean, about the debrief. My CO insists that I should be 'punctual'."

The ravenette waved a hand, attempting to lighten the dampened atmosphere. "Nah, it's nothing to worry about. I was an infantryman one time, too. Gaia, my CO was brutal...entering SOLDIER was a serious relief."

"I hope I can join you someday..." Cloud trailed off, his voice remaining gentle and light.

"Don't worry, I know you can do it Cloud. Remember our conversation back at Modeoheim? You've just gotta believe in yourself." The 1st told him as encouragingly as possible after the recent events.

The blonde's bad habit of tucking his chin into his scarf resurfaced, eyes averting shyly from his confident comrade. "Thanks...but I think that'll be a long ways from now. Sorry I have to go so soon."

Zack shrugged. "Hey, this won't be the last time we meet up, right? And I already added you as a contact on my PHS. You did the same, too. So, if ya need anything or if something comes up, don't hesitate to let me know."

"I should be saying that to you, but thanks." Cloud edged a smile, thumb punching at the down button for the elevator.

"You coming?" He asked when he realized Zack wasn't following.

The ravenette scratched the back of his head. "Nah, I think I'll stay up here for a bit. You go on ahead."

Cloud failed to see the cheery facade drop as he turned his back and entered the elevator.

* * *

><p><strong>Autumn's POV<strong>

I strutted down the various halls of HQ, poking my mask once in a while to make sure it was really there. Everything still felt unreal.

No one could know I was grieving. If they did, some idiots would think it'd be a chance to get to me. And I wasn't in the mood for dealing with such ludicrous.

On the way back to HQ I even thought back to a time when I was a 3rd with Angeal. I'd been so inexperienced back then, Angeal trained me as hard as I could manage. I grumbled about it at the time, but now I treasured it as a blessing. Ironic how that worked.

My feet guided me toward where Sephy's office was, not seeing Kunsel nor Luxiere around. Maybe they already went home.

It was early in the morning, after all. But I had to see if Sephiroth was still here. I had to break the news to him about...about Angeal.

Sensing a shift in the atmosphere, I became on guard as I approached Sephy's office.

"Well, well. What do we have here? A late night visit to General Sephiroth's office? How like you."

That voice...didn't sound familiar.

A 3rd Class, followed by a few others, emerged from the shadows. Messy light brown hair poked out from his helmet.

I stared at him blankly. "Do...I know you?"

He blanched as his friends either got irritated or snickered.

"You...you really don't remember?"

Crossing my arms, I kept my eyes trained on him. "Look, unless I've had a few missions with you, I won't remember your face. That's just how it is. Besides, judging by your vulgar comment a few minutes ago, you probably weren't worth remembering in the first place."

Scarlet pulsed into his cheeks. "Tch, I'll show you who's worth remembering! And I'll get payback for that punch across the face while I'm at it!"

Did I punch someone recently? Well, there was Hollander...uh...oh, right. Before I reached the Director's office, some guy ticked me off. I guessed this was him.

"Look, tonight of all nights isn't a good time. I have some business to discuss with Sephiroth, and you're in the way. I do recall saying something like, 'if you get in my way, someone might get hurt'. Do you wish to be that person?"

Someone tried to jump me from behind, which ended with me throwing the guy over my shoulder. I kicked him in the ribs for good measure.

"That's enough. I'm sick of your childish behavior. If you can't take a few remarks, then return the uniform and walk away from this building. SOLDIER is about discipline, loyalty, and strength. So far you've shown me none of those things. Come and face me when you've learned what being a SOLDIER means."

"You bitch! Like you know what being a SOLDIER means, either! Always being so cold and demanding, like you own everyone! I bet no one would care if you mysteriously disappeared." The 3rd exclaimed, ready to take me on.

"You'd be surprised, unfortunately."

I slipped into a fighting stance, when the door to Sephy's office swung wide open, revealing the towering silver-haired General. And he didn't look at all pleased.

"What are you doing outside of my office?" His catlike cyan eyes narrowed into slits.

The 3rd and his friends nervously backed away. One of his friends locked eyes with him.

"I-I thought you said Sephiroth was in the data room!"

"He was supposed to be!" The 3rd replied, glancing from me to Sephy.

"I'm outta here! I was ready to deal with Sakura, but not both her and General Sephiroth!" One of his 3rd friends shouted, running off with his tail between his legs.

"Hey, you...you coward! Get back here!"

Of course, everyone else followed suit until only the jerk-off 3rd class was left. He was apparently the dumbest in his group of friends to not leave while he could. Or perhaps he was frozen in place, judging by how his legs were shaking.

Served him right; coward.

"Should I ask for the details? Or shall I just assume that this 3rd Class was planning on challenging you on unfair terms?" Sephy's smooth baritone voice echoed in the hallway, eyes rounding on me.

"Unfair terms for him, yes. And he was just leaving. If this happens again, I'll pull rank and talk about his behavior with the Director." I hissed, allowing the lowlife before me to scamper off.

Once we were alone, I approached Sephiroth. He sent me a small smile, though his body was tense. He knew I wasn't here for good news. I felt a pang of nervousness in my stomach, trying to shove it down as far as possible.

Should my courage fade or waver, I'd never be able to tell him. And then it would only cause more problems in the long run.

"What brings you to my office so late at night, Sakura? I'd have thought you would go straight home after such an exhausting assignment."

I glanced at my clothes, which were still stained with my blood. Reopened wounds were not the cleanest of situations.

"I felt you deserve to know what happened, and then some. May I come in?"

"Of course." The tall general stepped aside to let me enter.

Seating myself on the small sofa against the wall, I took a deep breath. It smelled sterile yet fresh, a strange aroma that so far I could only catch in this office.

Sephy stood across from me, arms folded in question. "So, what is it you feel obligated to tell me?"

I felt my defenses go up as I casted aside the nervousness and other mingling emotions building up inside of me while my fingers yanked down my mask. "I am going to reveal to you everything I've kept a secret."

A silver eyebrow lifted in surprise. "Are you sure you should tell me? You haven't even told Zack."

"It's different. Once I explain everything, you'll understand why I'm only telling you. First off, my name is actually Autumn Gainsborough, and when I was just a baby..."

At first my words were reluctant, but as I continued the history of my past with Shinra and the reasons behind why I joined SOLDIER, it started to pour out naturally. Sephy didn't utter a word as I spoke, the occasional narrowing of eyes or slight mouth twitches the only shifts in his reactions.

When I finished, he stared at me in contemplation. "So...you plan to leave as soon as you have finished acquiring the needed information."

I nodded in confirmation. "Yes. But the bonds I've made are hard to cut loose. I need to somehow distance myself from them so it won't be as difficult on them. And this is not out of arrogance, but of fact. I realize that should I suddenly disappear, people will search for me."

"And you told me all of this because I would also look for you, with the highest chances of succeeding." The silver-haired 1st continued.

"Well, that and...I wanted to show you that you really do have a friend you can trust and who trusts you back. Because on the assignment..."

I choked, forcing myself to swallow a bitter taste. It was time to rip off the band-aid, so to speak. I was always blunt when things like this happened. It started when I was seven.

"We encountered Angeal. He goaded us into fighting him, and ultimately end his life. Angeal is dead, Sephy."

The first thing that registered in his expression was shock. Then came the transition to denial.

"Are you positive? Your Ancient abilities are able to detect when someone close to you passes, correct?"

"Yes, and I sensed it. I felt his life force join with the Lifestream, Sephiroth. It was horrifying. I cannot control that aspect of my powers, it comes naturally. Though I did make the mistake of reconnecting with the Planet in that instance, I always know when someone close to me perishes."

His catlike cyan eyes roamed about the room, the grip he had on his arms tightening.

"Angeal...that fool."

I rose from my spot, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "Sephy, I think he did it to keep us from suffering any longer. You know we all have since his desertion. It would only have continued, as well as his own inner turmoil. Nothing good could have come of it."

"Him passing on to join the Lifestream does not ease that suffering, Sakura...pardon, Autumn."

"I don't care what you call me by; I'm still me. I know this is hard, and I know it hurts a lot. But he'll live on in our memories. We will be how others remember Angeal Hewley. And I'm right here for you-if you've got anything you need to let off your chest, just let me now. Unlike Genesis or Angeal, I'll always be available. Okay?"

His lips twitched, expression turning into one of question. "Why?"

"Um...because I have no social life?" I quirked a brow, though sadly I realized it was entirely true.

I couldn't recall the last time I had anyone over at my house except for Buster, and he didn't exactly count considering he was a dog that now, unfortunately, belonged to me. He was adorable, but Buster had yet to master several things since he was only a year old. It was tiring.

"Why are you suddenly placing so much faith in me? Exposing your true identity, revealing the details of your past, acting so supportive...this isn't like you. Why now, and why me?"

"I already explained half of it to you. Should I abruptly disappear, people will hunt me down. I can't run forever, especially if my heritage is somehow leaked or discovered. They could come after Aerith and Mom and use them as leverage against me. Or possibly even those I've befriended in Shinra.

The other half is that I know Genesis and Angeal were your only anchors tying you down in terms of sanity. I want to make sure you don't lose it if that's even possible, and...well, you're my friend. I don't want you to go through this alone."

My hand had long since left his shoulder, instead attempting to crack each finger on both of my hands, alternating fingers in an endless loop.

There was a pregnant pause, though for some reason I felt no awkwardness or tension. Perhaps it was because already I'd grown so close to Sephiroth as a friend, it was no longer uncomfortable.

"I...appreciate your concern. I think you are right; Angeal and Genesis tied me down in a sense. This is simply going to take a while to...adjust to."

I nodded, edging towards the door. "I have to go home, Buster's waiting for me."

His head perked up at the mentioning of the hyperactive puppy. "How is he?"

"Sad and whiny. He'll have to get used to living with me, but I've been making sure I spend the majority of the day with him." I answered with my straight face remaining, hand turning the knob.

I pulled up my mask, slipping back into the identity of the mysterious female 1st of SOLDIER.

"Perhaps I should walk you home. It is extremely late at night, after all." Sephy suggested, following me in suit.

"Are you saying that to be courteous or are you using it as an excuse to see the puppy?" My tone was dry as I questioned his motives.

A rumbling in his throat told me he was chuckling. "Perhaps a bit of both."

"I can take care of myself just fine at night. No idiot would willingly face me unless they want their butts kicked." I scoffed, nearly bumping into Zack in the open space of the SOLDIER floor.

"Oof! Zack...? What're you still doing here? I thought you went to bed already." I frowned, spotting my partner's red and puffy eyes.

He put up a smile that lacked the usual abundance of energy and playfulness. "Sorry, my bad. I was just about to, don't worry. Hey Sephiroth."

"Good evening, Zack. Sakura informed me of the assignment. I take it you are having a hard time as well?"

Zack rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish smile. "Ah, I guess you could say that. I'm gonna hit the sack-you'll be okay going home, right?"

"Yeah. I've got this guy as my escort." I responded, jabbing a thumb at the silver-haired Masamune-wielder beside me.

Bidding good night to Zack, we continued out of HQ and down towards my apartment. We barely talked, as the shock was still in effect and my defenses had yet to lower. Buster was oddly ecstatic to see Sephiroth and wanted to lick him to death had I not intervened.

When Sephy finally left, I begrudgingly peeled off my blood-stained clothes, changed into a t-shirt and shorts, fed and cared for Buster, and collapsed on my bed, too mentally and physically exhausted to care about anything but the lull of sleep.

Yet, tears still unwillingly trailed down my face, absorbed by my pillow.

_"Angeal...I'll always keep you in my memories. You'll never truly die so long as I do so."_

Those were my final thoughts before I cried myself to sleep.

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><p><strong>AN: First chapter! :D Sorry, as I said, there's a lot going on Well, review, favorite and follow! They inspire me to write further! ^^**


	2. The Nightmare

**The Inevitable Crisis**

**Chapter 2-The Nightmare**

Keep Calm: So, second chapter!

Autumn: Ugh...

Zack: Sorry, we're still a little down.

Keep Calm: That is expected. It isn't every day your mentor forces you to kill him.

Autumn: The bluntness stings.

Keep Calm: Yeah? Well, this is what you dish out on a daily basis. But don't worry, it's one of the flaws I purposely made for you to have.

Zack: Don't you have to study, too?

Keep Calm: Yeah...but I'll write whenever I can. Thanks to everyone who favorited, followed and reviewed! ^^

_"Do not ignore dreams. They are a line from the past to the future. All nightmares are real." -Neil Gaiman, _The Ocean at the End of the Line

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><p><em>Crash!<em>

_Wood splintered, crashing to the ground in a ball of flames. The air reeked of burning flesh and ashes. The fires themselves popped on occasion, roaring hungrily as their food sources diminished._

_Bodies...so many bodies..._

_A figure dashed out-tall and well-built-to stand amidst the chaos in absolute shock. Glowing cyan eyes gleamed behind walls of fire; cold, lifeless, empty._

_Blood trickled down the extensive steel in his leather-gloved hand, sizzling from the flames. The owner was strangely unaffected by the sweltering heat, not a strand of long silver hair smoking._

_Finally he turned away, leaving the raven-haired soldier behind. _

_What occurred next was a blur. There were bouts of questions when the soldier came across a survivor-a gruff older man that had attempted to rescue another one of the inhabitants. He obviously knew how to fight due to the callouses on his weathered hands and his built body._

_"Hey, you're still sane, right?"_

_From him came the discovery that there was another survivor that had pursued the insinuator of the havoc and her father. _

_The ravenette told an infantryman to stay behind, and trekked ahead to the reactor._

_Blood...blood everywhere...too much..._

_"I hate you! I hate Shinra! I hate you all!"_

_Swords clashed, anger and hurt expressed in the form of fierce slashes and punches._

_"No, you're not-you're not the Sephiroth I once knew!"_

_Stoic face absent of emotion, a reply came. "I am the chosen one. I have been chosen to rule this planet."_

_Their fight continues, until the raven-haired soldier gets cut down, too. Like the girl._

_More blood...too much blood...can't..._can't-

* * *

><p><strong>Autumn<strong>

She sprung out of her bed and grabbed Wings of Freedom in a matter of seconds, gasping for breath with skin coated in perspiration.

Buster started whining and barking, circling her legs and jumping up at her anxiously. He was going so fast he almost appeared as a ball of tan, white, and black.

Minutes passed until her head finally cleared, realizing there was no danger. Exhausted from fright, her legs failed as she slumped back onto her bed. Her eyes flickered to her alarm clock, which read it was only 3 AM. Great.

The little beagle attempted to follow her, his small legs clawing at the bed frame. More pitiful whines escaped his throat when he tumbled down from a failed leap.

With trembling hands, Autumn wiped away the sweat lining her forehead. Still out of breath, she began inhaling and exhaling deeply to regain control.

_"It was just a dream." _She thought, remembering the skin-melting flames and the glowing cyan eyes.

_"He'd never do that. I'm just having nightmares because of Angeal. Stupid subconscious." _The brunette mused, airing out her tank top.

Her hair was a disheveled chocolate brown mess, most of it frizzy and tangled in knots. She went through rather painful efforts to keep her hair presentable; hence the ponytail.

After more whines and yaps filtered through her ears, glittering sapphire eyes flicked to the pouting beagle slumped at the side of her bed.

Sliding down to his level, the brunette allowed him to nearly tackle her to the floor, landing sloppy kisses on her face. She didn't want to think about where his tongue had been...

"Sorry, I must've made you worry, huh?" Autumn murmured, stroking Buster's head.

Her fingers brushed up his snout, which was streaked with a black line. The young dog nuzzled into her, his sounds of distress dying down.

Again her mind trailed back to her nightmare. Even though she was in the midst of grieving, it made absolutely no sense to have a nightmare of that sort should she use the excuse.

No. It was just something stupid her mind conjured up. But it'd been _so real_. She could still feel the unbearable flames, the dying citizens strewn about the ground, the enormous amounts of blood...

"He'd never do that." The 1st stated with great conviction.

Buster perked up, big tawny eyes gazing up in confusion. As if perfecting the adorable display, he tilted his head to one side.

Autumn messed with his floppy ears, staring aimlessly at the wall across from her.

"Never."

Though drowsiness tugged beneath her eyes, she refused to climb back into bed. What if the nightmare returned? She couldn't dream of it again, she wouldn't allow it.

"There's no way I'm getting any more sleep today, am I?" The brunette sighed, absentmindedly stroking the young dog curled up in her lap.

* * *

><p><strong>Aerith<strong>

Her days were always so confusing now. She never knew what to expect anymore.

But...it was a good kind of confusion, and the anticipation wasn't one of trepidation, but of eagerness.

She wondered when a head of raven spikes would pop up, and when the cheery deep voice that became so addictive to her ears would cut through the usual silence of the church.

Her heart always swelled when he visited, and a sort of fluttery feeling made it hard to contain herself. But at the same time, Zack put her at ease.

Aerith felt guilty about skipping out on meeting him a few days ago. She sensed Tseng was going to make an appearance, so she booked it. She wanted to hide, to keep that part of her related to Shinra a secret from the sunny 1st Class.

The desire to be normal was so strong it ached, and Aerith refused to make Zack, who saw her as just a normal flower girl, aware of the side that was so...weird.

However, when she heard the large wooden doors to her church creaking open at 11 AM, what she saw wasn't what she'd been expecting.

Of course, she felt the waves of sadness and guilt before he even took a step in, but seeing his face was totally different.

The happy grin on his countenance was hard to keep up, his posture not as straight, and his steps were slower than usual. She knew he was grieving for someone, it was obvious. The flower girl had never forgotten what that had looked like, for it was the same expression her sister carried many years ago. Plus she'd felt it the moment that man died. Aerith never asked what was wrong.

Instead, she let him hug her, and went back to tending her flower bed. After she'd finished, her piquing curiosity about the sky caused her to babble on about the blanket of blue whilst gazing up through the hole in the ceiling.

When Aerith heard the sobs from behind, it prompted her to wrap her arms around Zack's neck, which only caused him to cry harder. The chestnut-haired girl never thought she'd see a guy, much less such a strong guy, appear so vulnerable. Autumn always rambled about how everyone in SOLDIER was so tough, able to handle even the most emotion-heavy situations. Much like the Turks, except SOLDIER could actually sympathize.

And they didn't assassinate people. Or kidnap people. Or torture anyone. She was rather appreciative of those differences.

They remained like that for a long time, at least a few hours, until Zack received a call from the Director to stop slacking off. He'd promised he'd go to work, so of course the fair-haired man expected him to do just that. Aerith understood, and with a heavy heart the ravenette left her church. She attempted to make him feel better by planting a kiss on his cheek, eliciting a blush from both herself and her boyfriend.

She wasn't entirely certain what just happened, but she felt she shouldn't keep it to herself. Taking a risk, she pulled out the PHS Autumn had secretly bought her.

_"Aerith? Why're you calling? Is something wrong?" _The strong, normally guarded voiced of her sister entered her ear.

"Not really. I mean, it's about Zack." The chestnut-haired girl answered, staring up at the rays of sunlight raining down from the hole.

_"Zack? Is that idiot screwing things up? Are you guys okay?" _Autumn sighed, her usual irritation seeping through the PHS.

"No, he's done nothing wrong, promise. We're fine, it's just...today he visited my church and ended up crying a lot. I've never seen him cry before, and I sensed a man's death a few days ago...his name was Angeal. I don't know what happened; all I know is that Angeal must've been very important for Zack to be so depressed. You know how we sense death, after all."

_"...I see. Don't worry about it; it's nothing. He was someone Zack respected and looked up to, so his death was a pretty big shock. He'll get over it eventually." _

Aerith couldn't help but feel there was something her sister refused to share with her. Her tone was cold and had a steely edge she only heard when her sister was getting "emotional" as she put it. She was beginning to suspect Angeal meant something to her sister, too. But what?

"Sis, what aren't you telling me? You know you can tell me anything."

_"I'm telling you, it's nothing. Angeal was a really great guy-everyone held respect for him. They still do. People just take grief different ways. Unlike Zack, I'm not gonna sit around and mope like a pitiful weakling. There are essential tasks I have to do. I guess you could say I'm trying to live a little more like him, so his death means something."_

The Ancient understood her sister's comment, thought it was a bit blunt and unnecessary. It made her feel a little more reassured, even if she was overlooking the fact that Autumn basically called Zack a weepy baby. She got rather insulting when she felt like this.

"Okay, I guess you have a point." Aerith admitted.

_"And...*yawn* I...uh...wha was Isaying?" _Her sister mumbled, words growing convoluted.

"Sis, when did you wake up this morning?"

_"Ah...'bout...3 AM?"_

"_That _early?! How're you going to function right if you got so little sleep?"

There was a loud *_smack* _on the other end, which naturally heightened Aerith's concern. "What just happened?! Are you okay?"

_"I'm fine. A good slap to the face woke me up more. I'll chug down some coffee later."_

A smile played at the chestnut-haired teen's lips. "Caffeine isn't the answer to this problem."

_"It is for today. Since we're already talking...okay, I can only confide this in you, and it's going to sound absolutely stupid. I...woke up from a nightmare this morning, right? There was a town that was set ablaze, people were dying left and right. It felt as if I was there, and it all seemed familiar somehow, as if I'd been there before. And I actually remember everything that happened."_

After the 1st recounted the details of her nightmare, Aerith felt more than a little unnerved. She'd always sensed Sephiroth was different from other SOLDIER members, and now hearing this...

"What do you think it is?" She questioned after regaining her voice.

_"I'm not sure yet. Normally, people don't remember _everything_ about their dreams. I can recall planks of wood, positions of houses, how fast the flames were spreading... Aerith, I'd never dream of something like this. Sephiroth and I are close friends; he'd never massacre an entire town whether he's sane or mad."_

The flower girl paced before her flower bed, fingers tapping her chin. "Well...has something happened recently? Maybe an argument or the like?"

_"No. In fact, I told Sephiroth everything." _

The Ancient froze, heart nearly stopping at her sister's words. Her voice died in her throat, shock gripping a hold of her.

"Y...You what?"

_"Aerith, if I'm going to separate myself from SOLDIER, I need to let at least one person know everything. Who better than Sephiroth? He is the ultimate SOLDIER and one of my closest friends. If I ever need an ally who knows the whole story, he's the perfect candidate."_

"Are you sure? I mean...what about Zack? You haven't told him, and he's your partner." Aerith pointed out, her tone growing desperate.

_"Zack still has strings attached. Family, friends, you. I need someone with no leverage that can be held against them. Sephiroth only had Angeal and Genesis aside from me. Now that they're both gone, or rather Genesis has gone dark, there is nothing the Turks or another part of Shinra could use to manipulate him. He's the only one I can trust right now."_

A pang resonated through the teen's heart. "And me, right? You still trust me?"

_"Of course. But Aerith, I can't share everything with you. I know how you are. If someone you love is threatened, you'll sell me out. That's just how it is. You're kind, genial and compassionate. However, that is also your weakness. I have to be cautious from this point on. _

_One slip up could ruin everything. It'll take time to distance myself from everyone, but once I do I'll disappear, maybe go to Cosmo Canyon or something. I hear they know a lot about the Planet, perhaps they have knowledge of the Cetra. When that happens, you might not hear from me for a while. Okay?"_

Nerves tingling from surprise and pulse thumping wildly, Aerith swallowed to push back the cloying taste rising up in her throat.

"I...yeah, okay. When is this happening?"

_"As soon as possible. I'm still researching the Ancients-I found some more reports. I have to go; I'm at work right now in an empty training room thank goodness, but I'll talk to you later."_

Aerith lowered her head. "Alright. Be safe, Sis."

_"You, too." _

The call ended. The chestnut-haired girl pocketed her phone, feeling numb all of a sudden. Her sister practically dropped a bomb on her. Out of nowhere, she starts speaking of leaving her behind? Again?

Even though she did her best to be tough, even though she was attempting to prove she could be fine without Autumn, Aerith felt that sense of panic at the thought of being alone once more.

But...was she alone? She had Zack, right? And her mother.

No, it wasn't the same. Because Autumn was the only one in the world who could truly relate to her entirely. Not just because they were sisters, but because they shared the same burden: Being the last two Cetra in existence. That sense of fear, of knowing there was no one else out there like you, was tremendous and caused her legs to tremble.

It was almost like staring down the end of the world, in a way. Aerith was always scared for her sister, especially when it came to parting. All of the years Autumn was away, whenever Aerith managed to send her letters, asking for her return, she'd always come at least three times a month. The thought of not being able to contact her sister, who acted as her pillar of strength, terrified the flower girl further.

She laced her fingers together and bowed her head in prayer. _"Please...please, keep my sister here with me. Don't have her leave. I'm afraid of what might happen to her..."_

Little did she know that her desperate plea coincided with what the Planet had in store for her sister, and to what lengths it implied.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yes! Chapter 2 done! Ugh, it's been pretty hectic, but I'm learning how to juggle it all. Of course, that means spending less time writing, unfortunately. Tell me what you think, it's greatly appreciated. Review, favorite and follow!**


	3. Back to Work

**The Inevitable Crisis**

**Chapter 3-Back to Work**

Keep Calm: Third chapter, phew!

Autumn: Gosh, you've been working like mad.

Keep Calm: Yeah, lots of stuff going on right now.

Zack: That sucks. Weeell, shall we move on?

Keep Calm: Yes, sorry. Anyways, thanks again to all of you who read my fanfic, review, favorite and follow!

_"I guess by now I should know enough about loss to realize that you never really stop missing someone-you just learn to live around the huge gaping hole of their absence." -_Alyson Noel, _Evermore_

* * *

><p><strong>Zack<strong>

His eyes hurt. They stung like crazy and were still a little puffy and swollen. Well, it wasn't as if he'd complain about it. He'd been crying most of the night, so it was his fault anyway.

Zack admitted he was pretty forthright about his feelings, and didn't really care if someone spotted him sobbing. Besides, SOLDIER's motto was "Real men cry not for themselves, but for their comrades". He never once wept for himself. After all, what kind of hero would he be, then?

Even around Aerith, such as earlier today, he bawled to his heart's content. Zack knew it was the last time he'd cry over Angeal, since he needed to be strong for the aspiring lower Classes of SOLDIER, and his friends like Cloud.

They needed _someone_ to look up to.

He walked back to the upper plate, feeling the slivers of sunlight hit his face that poked out from behind the swirling silvery gray puffs of clouds. The air grew fresher, winds whipping at his revealed skin.

Zack considered the slums like another home, but he cherished the sky that was absent underneath the slates of dull gray. The overhead of infinite blue had always intrigued him, made him wonder about things he usually never considered.

Boots slamming against the pavement, he jogged to HQ and meandered to the elevators to hand in his report recounting details of the assignment in Modeoheim to the Director. He wasn't sure how he'd feel starting today, since everything would be different. Angeal would never show up again. And he was still coming to terms with that.

Then, he froze. Standing before him were his partner Autumn and Reno: the sly and territorial redheaded Turk he only once crossed paths with, hoping to never again see his face.

It was just from surprise at the Turk's sudden appearance, but Zack couldn't find it in himself to propel his feet forward.

Autumn stood beside the elevator with a stoic expression, if not slightly irritated, and her arms crossed defiantly over her chest.

Reno was leaning against the wall space between the two elevators with one elbow propped up to support his weight. A flirtatious smirk curved his lips upward as he spoke to her.

Honestly, even from here Zack could see the prominent dark circles under his partner's eyes and how pallid her skin was. Obviously she did not get a good night's sleep.

"Hey, Zack!" A cheery voice exclaimed from behind.

The ravenette snapped out of his trance to glance at Kunsel, who grinned as he approached.

"What's up Kunsel?" He greeted, the two doing a handshake followed by a pat on the back.

"Nothing much. Got called in early for some important mission. Apparently there was another monster outbreak. No casualties, but some citizens got a few serious injuries. One even got a nasty bite mark from a Guard Hound." The 2nd Class answered.

Zack's eyes widened. "Really? I thought those were over and done with since that guy from the Science Department got arrested."

Kunsel shrugged. "I don't really know what's going on, but at least they aren't as frequent."

The 1st Class grinned. "Yeah, there's that. Way to go, Kunsel! You'll make 1st in no time."

"Right. Well, I've gotta run. Missions never seem to stop coming in. Catch you later, Zack! Don't go flirting with other girls now, okay? I hear you got yourself an amazing girlfriend. Don't screw it up!" Kunsel warned, beginning to walk past him.

Zack stared at his friend, letting out an indignant huff. "Says the guy with no girlfriend!"

Kunsel only laughed.

The ravenette proceeded to the elevators, passing Reno in the process. The Turk retained his coy smirk, his Electro-Mag Rod ever present and resting on his shoulder.

Ignoring him, Zack entered the elevator with Autumn, who sighed in exasperation.

"Wanna talk about it?' He offered, eyes resting on her half-covered face.

"No." She answered, pulling out what he assumed was her own report about Modeoheim.

"Okay. So, you managed to do the report too?" The ravenette queried, gesturing to the handful of papers.

Autumn's glowing sapphire eyes flickered from the papers to the shut doors of the elevator.

"Of course. Even when something or someone is lost on a mission, you still have to write it all down for legitimacy. You know how important they are, right?"

Zack sighed through his nose, hands flying back to cradle his head in a leisurely pose.

"Yeah, yeah. They recount the details of missions to prove it all actually happened and give insight to future possible threats. It's still boring." He remarked in a tone lacking playfulness.

The brunette fell silent, as did Zack. They didn't really know what to say to one another. The only audible sounds were their breathing and the occasional crinkling of paper. He wasn't really in the mood for talking anyways.

But his mind kept reeling back to when he saw her just a few minutes ago with Reno.

_"What did he want from her?" _He pondered, then realized the obvious answer.

Reno had been flirting with her. What else? That was the first thing he did when he initially laid eyes on her, even though at the time Genesis had infiltrated HQ and Sector 8 with his monsters.

Judging by how he left with a smirk intact, and even elicited a dry laugh, Zack figured Autumn declined but was at least civil about it. He wondered if she was even interested in romance at all.

She never watched chick-flicks, read romance novels or ever voiced thoughts of desiring a relationship like that. Basically her thoughts were filled with 'stab that', 'work', and 'Zack's annoying'. At least, that was what he assumed.

It was just a little concerning how her mind worked, but she was absolutely focused on SOLDIER. He guessed she'd given up on ever living long enough to have a relationship.

_*ding!* _The bell of the elevator chimed, snapping Zack out of his musing.

Autumn strode ahead of him before he even lifted a foot, her pace brisk. Even when she was so much shorter in stature than he was, she managed to somehow walk ahead of him.

Entering Lazard's office, Zack strained to listen to Autumn's whispering after she handed in her report to the Director. However, apparently she could talk extremely quiet to evade such eavesdropping and still have Lazard know, for all he could hear was her hushed tone.

When she pulled away, Lazard whispered back, nodded and then spoke in a louder voice.

"Sakura, today I want you to train the SOLDIERs. Specifically the 3rd Classes, and the 2nds if you can manage. Zack, tomorrow I want you to do the same. Even though new recruits keep pouring in, with things as they are currently their training has deteriorated. Also, there aren't enough higher Classes to teach them what they need to know."

"Sir, no offense, but I think I will refuse this...assignment." The brunette answered, folding her arms.

A golden brow lifted in question. "And why is that?"

"I...am not a very good teacher. I can't explain things really well. Plus I don't have the patience."

Lazard smiled in amusement. "Sakura, I am confident in your ability to be a leader and mentor for this assignment. I don't know how often you will have to do it, but for now it's only for today. Are you sure you want to decline this assignment?"

Her eyes flitted down to the floor in contemplation. Fingers tapping her chin, she looked back up. "I guess for today I'll try it. No guarantees about how it'll go, though."

The Director nodded. "Good. You are dismissed."

"Sir." She saluted, then turned away.

Walking toward Zack, she appeared torn between slowing her pace and pressing onward. He sent her a bright smile, even though he felt hollow and unbelievably wretched inside. The sound of her boots thudding against the shining tiles was a sound he'd grown familiar to hearing.

Instead of receiving the smile he intended to elicit, she clapped a significantly smaller hand onto his shoulder, refusing to meet his gaze.

"Zack...follow Angeal's teachings. I see the makings of an inspirational leader in you. Just keep going down this path you've carved out for yourself, and don't let anyone tell you different or get in the way."

It was very heartfelt, and Zack honestly felt touched by her sincere words. But there was a rise in suspicion as to _why_ she said them. Normally, Autumn wasn't the touchy-feely type; the person to comfort you when you're sad by hugging you or telling you earnest words from the heart.

She was more like the kind of person who would just stand there uncomfortably when you cried and act like a drill sergeant minus the yelling. Well, most of the time. So Zack was a little more than bemused and curious by her sudden little speech.

"Uh, thanks? What about-" He turned to ask, but her hand had long since left his shoulder and she was already entering the elevator.

"Zack, I take it you're here to submit your report?" Lazard greeted warmly, yet professionally.

His entire office held that sort of atmosphere: The floors were waxed and polished so intensely that Zack could see his reflection, windows were scrubbed spotless, and not a speck of dust could be found on any of the monitors, computers or desks. But the room felt alive at the same time, the different colors calm but comforting, and the occasional personal touches made it less intimidating.

Did they even have a janitor? Or did the 3rd Classes come in and go crazy with the cleaning? It would explain why so many chose to stupidly follow Genesis.

Plus, it always smelled like a mixture of cologne and cleaner, as if the spray from womanizing males drifted into the room and made good friends with the bleach.

"Yup, sorry it's a little delayed. I had some...stuff to work out." He replied, handing the Director his own report.

Stealing a glance at Autumn's papers when the chance presented itself, Zack read the rushed, curly words of his partner.

_"Name: Sakura Gains. Assignment Location: Modeoheim. Objective: To discover rogue SOLDIER Genesis Rhapsodos' activities in supposed hideout..." _

Blah, blah, blah. He skimmed over the page displayed, skipping the boring required stuff when something caught his eye.

It wasn't the paper on top, but the one underneath that caught his attention. Lazard had accidentally shifted the small stack of papers with his elbow in his switch of position.

_"...might not be deceased, no confirmed death. Remain on alert for future attacks and/or appearances..." _

What? Who might not be deceased?

Zack wanted to grab the papers right off the Director's desk, and only his response caused him to stop.

"It's quite alright, I can imagine it must have been rather difficult emotionally. I have yet to read the reports, but judging by how you and Sakura are acting I'm going to assume a lot went askew. Perhaps you should take a day off."

The 1st grinned, giving the Director a fist-pump. "Nah, I'm good! If I don't work, I'll start wandering around wondering what I should do. This is way better."

A smile pulled Lazard's lips upward. "Very well. You have no pending assignments, so take up the missions that have been collecting in your absence. Also, remember you are instructing the 3rd Classes tomorrow. You are dismissed."

Zack saluted with a smile. "Sir!"

Leaving his office, when the ravenette stepped out into the hall, he checked his PHS for missions.

"Gaia, when did I get so many?! I was only gone for two days!" Zack exclaimed, eyes popping when the missions didn't end at fifteen.

It'd take him five all-nighters or more to just cut down half of it.

"What the...who the heck is Treasure Princess? Is this spam?" He frowned, reading the message.

It was sent a long time ago. To be more precise, on the day he'd entered the Sector 5 Reactor with Autumn and Sephiroth. He really needed to check his mail more often. Lately he only remembered the mails he got from Aerith.

...damn it, Kunsel jinxed him.

'Don't just read the mails you get from girls!' He said. Yeah right, of course Zack would become laser-focused on his _girlfriend's_ emails!

"Well, if it is a trap, at least I'll be prepared for it. Besides, if there is treasure hidden by Shinra's General Affair's Department, it'd be cool to see what it is. That, and Shinra likes to be thorough when it comes to suspicious mail." He grinned, cracking his knuckles.

"Right, time for me to get started!"

* * *

><p><strong>Autumn's POV<strong>

I walked down a corridor with the same brisk pace I'd upheld ever since I stepped foot into HQ.

It felt like something was missing, like when you know a room so well you notice instantly when something inside is taken away.

Things were going to be different, but I needed to be able to adjust. If I couldn't handle losing one person, how was I going to distance myself from everyone else?

And training the recruits was a waste of my time. I needed to be focused on learning more about the Ancients and Jenova, and then book it out of Midgar. Once I abandon Shinra, they'll come after me. Perhaps I'd fake my death somehow.

Then there was the fact that my skills were declining, since I barely managed to defeat last week's data during practice in the training room. And of course, Reno just had to confront me.

Annoyed, I punched a wall. The sting bursting from my knuckles opened my mind as I felt the throbbing sensation crawl up my arm.

"That was too close." I muttered, angry with myself.

What Reno said to me played in the back of my head in a loop, causing my heart to pound wildly. I breathed in the scent of steel and sweat in an attempt to calm down.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Flashback<strong>_

_Autumn walked over to the elevators, barely sparing anyone a glance except when greeted by her friends, whom she was brief with. She wanted to turn in her report; she was getting anxiety just by keeping it in her pocket._

_Once there, she waited for the elevator door to slide open after pressing the delicate up button._

_Feeling someone approach, she whirled around and drew Mira, her .45 caliber handgun. Flashes of what happened in Junon appeared behind her eyes. Her screams, the cracks of the whip, the swift and precise punches to her body, the agonizing feeling of getting her SOLDIER makeup altered and reconfigured over and over-_

_She pointed the barrel right at the face of a certain red-haired Turk._

_He threw his arms up in surrender, his sly expression shifting partially to one of surprise. One gripped his weapon of choice, the Electro-Mag rod he seemed to have a habit of tapping on his shoulder._

_"Whoa, hello to you too Sweetheart. It's just me."_

_Her heart still hammered in her chest as she felt herself ease up a little. Autumn's eyes narrowed in suspicion. __"What do you want? And don't call me Sweetheart."_

_"Since I like my face the way it is and keeping my brains inside this brilliant head, I think I'll tell you after a gun isn't pointed at my nose. Gets me a bit jumpy, yo. And you seem like the trigger-happy kinda girl."_

_Rolling her eyes in irritation, she put Mira back in her holster. She'd decided to be at least a little cordial today and not spout any insults or comebacks._

_"So what do you want, Turkey? Since now that I've put away my scary little gun." Autumn questioned, folding her arms._

_He sauntered over to stand across from her, propping up an elbow against the wall between the elevators. __"You kidding? A gun's a gun. I might be fast but I can't outrun point-blank bullets, yo."_

_"Just get to the point already. I have obligations I must attend to." The teen sighed, doing her best to ignore the opened elevator door next to her._

_"What if I just wanted to chat, yo? And seriously, what kinda teen says 'obligations'? You sound like an old politician. You remember my name, right?" Reno replied casually, as if he hadn't almost gotten shot in the face five seconds ago._

_"Reno, I literally only met you one other time, and we didn't exactly start off on the best of terms. You're delusional if you think we're buddies now. And for the record, smart teens talk like that." Autumn retorted, tapping her fingers on her arms._

_"Alright, alright. Glad to know you didn't forget me, at least. So, after this long time of incredible patience and waiting it out, we finally got something out of those AVALANCHE insurgents from Junon. Guess what they told us?"_

_She continued to stare, even though inside she was about to have a heart attack. What if they spilled to Shinra that she was an Ancient? She'd be whisked away to the labs before she could say 'chocobo feather'. _

_"Aw, not even gonna guess?" Reno drawled, a flirtatious smirk creeping onto his features._

_"You have five seconds." _

_"Okay, geez. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning." The redhead sighed._

_'You have no idea.' The brunette mused._

_"They gave us some dirt on AVALANCHE, specifically their leader Elfe and that four-eyed nerd Fuhito. Apparently, Elfe's health is deteriorating. I don't know why, but they say that her power drains a lot out of her. Fuhito found other means of muscle when she's too weak to fight. Some weird freak with glowing yellowish-green eyes named Z."_

_Taking a moment to make sure her breathing was even, Autumn responded. "I know him. He was there in Junon, and in the Shinra building when I had to protect that creep Rufus. He told me he was a failed experiment of theirs, and he wanted revenge. Something else about 'Mother' and how he was connected to her."_

_The Turk sent her an incredulous look. "Is that so? That's pretty much what they told us, except that Z isn't loyal to AVALANCHE. They're just working together for a common purpose, yo. They said his real agenda was to 'make the planet a better place', but he was missing some tools or something."_

_Autumn's hands curled into fists, a dry laugh escaping her. "Tch, so that's it..."_

_"I don't really get what's going on yet, but it seems they've been wanting you for something, yo. And since they didn't get you, mind explaining?" A colder tone was beginning to filter into the Turk's voice._

_She knew Reno had a sordid side-he was one of the more cold-hearted Turks that did anything to get the job done. And it irked her to no end that he was nearly threatening her at the moment._

_"All I know is that they wanted me to help them fight Shinra. And Reno," Autumn began, leaning in a bit closer. "Use that tone with me again and I will not restrain myself like I am today. You and I both know what I will do."  
><em>

_The redhead chuckled. "Ohh, I know. That's the fun part. I knew you couldn't resist my magnetic charm forever."_

_"More like I can't stand your polarity." The 1st remarked, despite the crimson pulsing in her cheeks under her mask._

_The flirtatious smirk Reno had before grew back on his face. "That look on your face is telling me something else, Sweetheart. Oh, and I finally remember where I've seen you before."_

_Her heart practically stopped. "Where?"_

_"You were getting off a train from the slums, yo. Rude and I helped you out when some dumbass was bothering you, even manhandled you a bit. Now why'd you let him do that? From what I hear, you like to take care of yourself."_

_Crap._

_A dry laugh escaped her throat. "I am what I am. I do like to take care of myself, just as, oh I don't know, everyone else does? And for the record, I was handling it when you intervened."__  
><em>

_"That busted lip you had told another story. Well, be seeing you around Feisty." Reno winked, pushing off the wall to walk away._

_Glowing sapphire eyes watched him leave._

_"Reno."_

_He craned his neck, light hitting one of his unique scarlet tattoos and illuminating his oddly bright sky blue irises._

_"I suggest you watch yourself next time. It's better to create as little enemies as possible in our line of work. And it'd be wise to pick fights you know you can win."_

_A smirk played at his lips once more. "Trust me Sweetheart, I'll be just fine. Oh, and try to get more sleep-you look like you joined a family of raccoons, yo."_

**_End of Flashback_**

* * *

><p><strong>Autumn's POV<strong>

That guy seriously ticked me off. Really? I looked like I joined a family of raccoons? I had _one_ sleepless night.

And why was that the first thing that got me riled up? I should've been worrying about his recollection of our previous encounter or the fact that Zane somehow wanted to use me in order to 'correct the planet' in a sense.

Had my vanity gotten that bad? Ugh, now wasn't even the time to be considering this crap! I had to focus on training the 3rds and my goal. I was _so_ close.

Entering the bigger training room reserved for larger groups, I came face-to-face with rows of 3rd Classes. At least half were still goofing off. That was not what shocked me.

What shocked me was seeing one of my close friends in the second row, his jet-black hair sticking out from under his helmet, and icy blue eyes now a glowing light sky blue.

I felt the air get sucked out of my lungs as my jaw dropped. Slowly making my way to the front, I composed myself before anyone could spot my expression.

Bewilderment was not the best initial expression to have. Especially when I might be teaching them again.

"Attention!"

My voice rang throughout the spacious room, echoing due to its immensity. The walls amplified the sound, effectively sobering all of the SOLDIERs and returning to stiff, rigid posture up front.

"You know who I am. The Director has requested I be your instructor for today since we're so low on manpower. I'm going to warn you now: I am not easy-going, nor am I all that sympathetic. And I am not the best at explaining.

So this training session is going to be brutal. But keep in mind that I, too, went through it as well. If you are indeed serious about joining SOLDIER, you will set your mind to it and accomplish it through hard work and tenacity. If not...well, you're gonna have to find some way to quit. Now, which of you 3rds are more experienced?"

Several modestly raised their hands. I noticed they were the more mature ones that remained in form before I even walked in.

I nodded. "Good. You will help train the others since this group is so vast."

We went through warm-ups and stretches, drills, exercise routines and weapon training. I managed to squeeze in a little practice with materia as well. Unfortunately, not all were very apt at using Fira. Hence the scorch marks on the walls. I did warn them to watch their control, though,

At the end, hardly any of the 3rds were able to stand properly. That meant I'd taught them well. At least, recalling from my own experience with my mentor Jones I did.

"Attention!" I called sternly, causing them to stand erect once more.

It reeked of sweat and smoke in here, so I wanted to make this fast.

"You all did well today. No grumbling about this session, understood? You should take pride in your performance and continue to improve. This _will_ help you to become talented, admirable SOLDIERs, I guarantee so. Dismissed."

They immediately poured out of the training room. Thank Gaia they did; the smell was beginning to thin once the door opened. Scanning the mass of bodies, I lunged out to grab my friend by the arm.

I ripped off his helmet to see the face of Jason staring back at me.

"What the heck, Jason?! Why didn't you tell me you made SOLDIER?"

He sighed, taking back his helmet. "You seemed preoccupied with stuff, I didn't want to bother you. You look like you've got enough to worry about."

I crossed my arms. "Don't make this about me. Congrats, Jason, I'm really proud of you. Sorry if the training was rough; from experience I learned that the harder you work, the better you'll succeed. I know you'll work through the ranks fast. We should go out and celebrate with the guys."

Crap, what was I doing? I was supposed to be _distancing_ myself from them, not going out to celebrate!

He edged a smile. "Maybe another time. Right now I'm coated in sweat, if you hadn't noticed, and dead tired. Not complaining, just facts."

I really hadn't noticed, actually. Maybe it was because I'd been around too many sweaty guys to care, but now that I looked his skin was glistening from perspiration and beads of sweat lined his forehead.

"Alright, catch you later. Re-hydrate and recharge, got it?"

Jason sent me a thumbs-up before leaving the training room. I left to enter a smaller one, setting it to last week's data.

A digital copy of myself virtualized as I lifted my fists. I'd paid the dog-sitter to feed and let Buster out for the next six hours-not that it was cheap. I wasn't sure if I'd even make it home today.

_"It's just because of work, it's just training." _I mentally chanted as I threw an uppercut.

I struggled to recover from a feint and roundhouse to my back, seeing a dank cell with Smith's stupid face while calmly punching me.

_"It's just training..."_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So, now you're starting to see some of her paranoia, right? Well, not paranoia per-say, but trauma I suppose. Getting tortured for five days and cornered into killing your mentor aren't exactly scar-free, figuratively and literally. Anyways, review, favorite, and follow! They inspire me to write more!**


	4. Lean on me

**The Inevitable Crisis**

**Chapter 4: Lean on Me**

**Disclaimer: Crisis Core does not belong it o me. I write this fanfic for entertainment purposes only and do not seek profit for it. All rights go to Square Enix.**

Keep Calm: Uuuuggghhh

Zack: Keep Calm's living the hard life at this time...

Autumn: Naturally Keep Calm wants to keep why it is hard a secret, for it is about her life outside of writing.

Zack: 'Cause this author's got issues with trusting people.

Keep Calm: Shut up, Zack! It's the Internet, of course I don't! Anyway...

Zack: Right.

Keep Calm: Ugh, just shut up! Viewers, in this chapter you'll be seeing more of Lorie Frost, one of my OC's. If you don't know who she is, that probably means you haven't read my first story, which I HIGHLY encourage you to read first. More of her character is explored, so I'm pretty psyched.

Also, I have a poll up! I realize it's asking who Tifa should be paired with, but that will help me decide on future pairings for THIS fanfic as well as the next one. So, please vote and let me know what you think! Right now there's one vote for Reno and one for Zack.

_"An arch consists of two weaknesses, which, leaning on each other, become a strength." -_Leonardo da Vinci

* * *

><p><strong>Sephiroth<strong>

He'd finally convinced himself to emerge out of the confinements of the data room and the seemingly endless information about the Science Department that held so much drivel.

Well, _he_ didn't do much persuasion, more like Sakura-Autumn-whatever, stormed into the data room coated in a sheen of sweat and kicked him out with the lingering threat that she'd never let him see Buster again.

The silver-haired general wondered why she was in there looking like some kind of demented panda with her dark circles and pallid complexion. Since nothing ever got past him, he noticed she'd gotten them as soon as she'd returned from the assignment in which Angeal passed.

He could relate; sleepless nights had become a part of his life after she broke the news to him. And he felt that questioning her tired-out, sweaty, exhausted state would only leave him with more questions than answers.

So, to occupy his new found bit of "free-time", he cautiously yet aimlessly wandered about the plates. Really, it was all the same.

Everything was about opulence, superiority and class. Everyone above the plate dressed in such fine material Sephiroth wondered why they even bothered.

So, when walking above the plate got boring, he decided to take a little detour to the slums.

He'd never been there before, so what was the harm in visiting?

And there were no fan club members there...he hoped. Before he'd been unceremoniously kicked out, Autumn told him his fan club was getting annoying by taking pictures of them together and intellectually arguing if they'd make a great couple.

Half of them had already accepted defeat and somehow obtained her number, mailing her saying they 'gave her their blessing', and that even though they were his fans it was logical that the two end up together and supported their 'love life', even having the nerve to bring up that horrific shipping name Sakuroth.

Gaia, it was so sickening. The silver-haired 1st's stomach wrenched at the entire situation.

He was in his early twenties, and she was _sixteen_ for crying out loud! Didn't they realize it was absolutely _illogical_ that he'd become smitten with the only female in SOLDIER?

...well, now that he thought that he supposed it was a bit misleading.

So, she demanded he bring the ridiculousness to an end before _she_ did. And _that_ would most certainly lead to a very interesting meeting with the Director.

His head was beginning to throb just pondering on it. Well, if he did per-chance run into a member of his club, he would just subtly bring up the subject and convince them to drop the whole situation.

Eventually he found himself in a park. It was in Sector 6, which was a relatively 'safe' zone compared to the other sectors, and even the rest of Sector 6. Some looters and thugs still loomed about on the prowl, but with increased infantry patrol they behaved for the most part.

Sephiroth released a sigh, deciding to seat himself on one of the swings. It was a bit awkward for a man a few inches over 6 feet, but he was going to make the most out of this outing. Plus, it was getting a bit tedious walking and standing about. He just wanted to sit and quietly mourn for his deceased friend.

_"Angeal...why did you have to die?" _He wondered.

Angeal had been the reasonable voice beside him, always dictating what was right and wrong. Now that voice was gone, and he often pondered if he could make those same distinctions on his own. At times the lines between the two grew so blurred Sephiroth grew unsure about it. But Angeal had always been able to tell within seconds.

He had no idea why his now deceased comrade was able to so effortlessly make the right decision, but now he realized it was a necessary skill he lacked. More and more every day, he was growing painfully aware of Angeal's infinite absence.

The silver-haired general had even resorted to entering his dorm, which took an enormous amount of will power, and water his plants. He even found a spare copy of LOVELESS lying about. And with these realizations came more enlightenment.

Despite being a renown 1st Class and super SOLDIER, Sephiroth had relied on Angeal heavily for several aspects of his life ever since the man joined SOLDIER and befriended him. Now, he had to rely on himself. It was both good and bad, for every person needed someone to rely on from time to time but also know when to depend on him/herself. And it didn't feel right to hand over burdens to a sixteen-year-old, who already had enough on her plate as it was.

He may be suffering, but at least he wasn't cornered into landing the killing blow.

Now swimming in sorrow and regret, Sephiroth allowed himself a break from his mourning to gaze around the park.

There were some kids playing at the moogle slide and other playground equipment, but the other swing was still up for grabs. Perhaps he intimidated the children. Tall people tended to appear frightening, for whatever reason. That, and he never bothered with a disguise, so maybe it was just his overall presence.

The 'Heroic General Sephiroth' wasn't exactly someone kids saw on a regular basis in the flesh.

A teenage girl with dirty blonde hair took it a few minutes later, watching the children with an air of caution.

Clearly she was from around here. Her clothing, which consisted of a gray cardigan with pockets and a lavender dress, were low in quality and on the dingy side. She wore no bedazzled accessories or layers of makeup. It was a nice change compared to the faux higher classes above.

"Danny, be careful!" She called out, her voice worried and soft.

A boy with light brown hair, who'd been getting a little rough with the other kids, grinned at her. "Don't worry Sis, I will!"

Sephiroth glanced from the boy to the teenager beside him. Wasn't she a bit young to be spending her time just watching over her brother? Why wasn't she in school? Surely even the lower classes below the plate were able to receive schooling, right? And where were their parents?

Sensing eyes on her, the girl turned her head to look at him. Her eyes genuinely intrigued the general. They were a sort of warm honey brown, a shade he'd never seen before. Those eyes widened in shock and a little bit of fear.

"G-General Sephiroth! Uh, sir! I-I didn't realize...I mean..." She stuttered, words tumbling out of her mouth incoherently.

Ah, curses. He'd prefer to evade such an encounter, but now he couldn't exactly weasel his way out of it without being utterly abrupt and rude. Despite his introverted nature, Sephiroth still had manners. Perhaps he should've gone with a disguise-apparently he intimidated people too greatly.

"I'm sorry if I startled you. I simply came down here to contemplate."

"O-oh. Um...well, if it isn't too rude of me to ask...why were you staring at me...sir?" Her tone held a sort of fearful edge to it, as if she anticipated a demented or questionable answer.

Did all of the people here think and act like this?

"My apologies. I was simply thinking when you arrived, and your presence caught my attention." He replied kindly, eyes flitting away to the houses nearby.

The girl's body relaxed a little. "I-I see. I'm so sorry, I must have disturbed you."

This conversation was going on longer than he desired, but the girl was too timid and polite for him to just stop talking to her. It wouldn't exactly help boost her apparently already low self-esteem.

"Not at all. It is only that a lot has happened recently that I need to let sink in and adjust to."

She tilted her head in piqued interest, then returned her attention to her younger brother. "I see... So, um...does isolation help with that, if I may ask?"

"Not exactly, but it does give me some quiet to mull things over."

Perhaps it was the tone in which he spoke, but the girl gazed at him in sympathy. "What...exactly happened, sir? If...if you don't mind sharing, that is."

Sephiroth wondered if that was how she spoke with everyone. She was such a shy person. Yet, at the same time, so guarded and tense. He assumed it was due to a life in the slums, for the people down here did seem a little rough around the edges.

"I do not mind at all...a dear friend of mine perished not too long ago. I am only now realizing how much of an influence he made on my life, and regret several things I have and had not done, nor will I ever be able to."

The girl's face contorted in sadness, her small, delicate hands lacing together on her lap. "I lost my parents last year. I live with my grandmother, but she's very frail these days, so I'm responsible for Daniel, my brother. I've had to take up any jobs I can to support the three of us."

Catlike cyan eyes landed on her in mild surprise.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I realize every person experiences the loss of someone close to them, but I had yet to go through the process myself until now. It is...much less painful when I attempted to imagine it than in reality."

A tiny smile quirked up the girl's pink lips. "Yes, I agree. It's easier that way. I...I also regret things I did and didn't-couldn't-do. Sometimes I wish I could just turn back time to stop it from happening."

"And what of the rest of the time?" Sephiroth questioned.

"The...the rest of the time? O-oh, I...well, I think that there's always a reason to why something happened. We just don't know yet. And when I think of it that way, I...I want to make my parents proud by working hard and doing my best to be happy."

The silver-haired general smiled a bit, finding this undesired conversation rather fruitful for the turmoil unraveling inside him to dissipate. "I see. That is a good way to see it. Maybe I should start doing the same."

Honey brown orbs locked on him. "But...um, if it's alright, Mister Sephiroth...please, don't do everything by yourself. I tried it, I tried shouldering all of the burdens and hardship, but...I just couldn't. I got hospitalized for overexertion, and I ended up making a horrible mistake. My new friends help me now, and I feel much lighter. So, please make sure you rely on someone from time to time."

It was more than a little queer to be receiving such wisdom from a teenage girl. Yet, he felt she was right.

Nevertheless, she blushed after her outburst and quickly turned her head to avert eye contact. "I-I'm sorry. Here I am dictating what you should do..."

"No, it's fine. If anything, you have helped me open my eyes to what I should be doing. I believe my mourning period is over now, and I have you to thank."

His sincerity drew her eyes back to him. "O-oh...but you don't have to thank me, it's okay."

Edging a smile, she stood and smoothed down her dress. "My brother and I have to go now, it's getting late. It was nice talking to you, General Sephiroth."

An outstretched hand awaited him, prompting him to lift his own to shake the much smaller one.

"Yes, it was a pleasure meeting you as well, Ms..."

The blonde hesitated. "Um...my name is Lorie."

"Ms. Lorie. Thank you for the conversation. It has inspired me." Sephiroth replied, a smile of his own growing on his countenance.

Beginning to exit the park, he stopped when there was a tug at his jacket sleeve.

"Hey Mister! You're General Sephiroth, right?" A youthful, pitched voice queried.

"Danny! Don't talk so rudely!" Lorie scolded, prying her brother off of the esteemed general.

He turned back around, gazing down at the small kid. "Indeed I am."

"Why were you talking to my sister? Do you like her or something?" Danny questioned, causing the silver-haired general to cough and Lorie to stutter.

"I-I-I'm so sorry! H-he can be a little impolite at times...b-but he's a good kid." The blonde hastily apologized with pink flushing her cheeks, though Sephiroth dismissed it.

"It's fine."

"This is so awesome!" The little brunette exclaimed, eyes wide with enthrallment.

The general withheld a sigh. In times like these he wished Angeal or Autumn would swoop in to pull him out of it. Genesis was never much help-in fact he suspected the pyromaniac relished in seeing him struggle with crazed fans.

"Daniel, was it? Make sure to listen to your sister; it appears she has a hard enough time as it is."

The boy nodded eagerly. "Yes, sir!"

And with that, the 1st turned and left. He still had one friend left, and he was determined to discover his whereabouts. He'd be mourning for two had it not been for Autumn's reassurance that she did not sense Genesis pass on into the Lifestream. There was still a chance to reign the fiery renegade back in.

Sephiroth dug out his PHS. "It's me. I have an investigation I want to be carried out at Modeoheim. I'll divulge in the details when I reach HQ."

* * *

><p><strong>With Autumn<strong>

Everything was so monotonous-wake up, get dressed, feed Buster and pay the dog-sitter, eat, go to work, do an assignment or mission, then either use the training rooms until she dropped/collapsed or lock herself in the data room for the remainder of the day.

And night.

Whenever she pulled out her gun her hand trembled, and when she fought she kept hearing her own screams and hearing the cracks of the horrific whip.

Despite what had transpired, the 1st wanted to scream in frustration by her lack of control. She was a SOLDIER 1st Class-she should be able to handle it. And it didn't help that a charity event was happening in a few days, and she, Zack and Sephiroth were required to make an appearance.

On top of that, she had yet to tackle the ever growing stacks of paperwork regarding the cadet assessments and SOLDIER progress reports. Lazard had even given her an office, which made her feel a decade older than she really was. The increasing desire to copy Genesis and throw a Firaga spell at the loathsome papers hadn't subsided.

Yet, despite her other duties, she decided today was a training day. She knew she was only drawing out her stay by wasting time on trivial activities that the brunette performed just to exhaust herself out, but she believed the stress was getting to her, and exertion was the best outlet.

She'd been receiving more visions whenever she slept: fires, blood, sometimes even cells full of bubbling mako. It terrified her to the brink of insomnia.

Hence the chilly simulation with numerous types of Ice creatures. The Bandersnatch was giving her grief, but soon she incinerated it with a blast of flames via her Mastered Firaga.

Maybe she was becoming a pyromaniac, too.

When the simulation ended, she fell to her knees as her sword slipped out of her grasp. Crap, she overdid it again.

Ever since everything had occurred, starting with Genesis, she felt as if her spark and usual sass had sputtered and died. It was aggravating, feeling so unlike herself. She just couldn't snap out of it for some reason.

Drops of sweat hit the immaculate smooth floor beneath her, rolling down her heated face. She perked up at the sound of the door sliding open with a 'whoosh', boots thudding across toward her following not long after.

"Leave me alone Zack, I don't want to-" She began, choking upon realizing it wasn't the ravenette greeting her, but an infantryman with a head full of gravity-defying spiky blonde hair.

"Cloud...?"

He blushed, glancing away to evade her bemused stare. "Sorry, I didn't know you were in here...I just wanted to train for a while."

Autumn's eyes left his face to flicker down to his weapon of choice, which was not his usual gun but a broadsword. "Oh. I'll be out of your way. Just...give me a moment."

Great, she probably looked like crap, considering everyone looked at her as if she was either dying or losing it. Reno's raccoon comment helped nothing.

_"Don't be nice, don't be nice, don't be nice! You're going to leave them all behind anyways, so don't cave in!" _A voice in the back of her head exclaimed.

It was harder than what she imagined.

Managing to stand, she plucked Wings of Freedom off the ground and attempted to pass her childhood friend by without looking or saying anything. Yet, her mouth moved faster than her brain could work to stop it.

"You know, I could help you train if you want."

No! Don't offer! Don't say yes!

He spun around in surprise. "Really...? I mean, I'm sure you're busy with other things. There's that charity event coming up and everything."

Yes, so don't persist! That paperwork isn't going to be finished by itself!

"Not really. It's not like the charity is that much of a deal." She replied, grimacing from her lack of self-control.

What?! The brunette seriously wanted to clock herself across the face. Stupid Autumn, stupid!

Cloud tucked his chin into his scarf, eyes glancing away again. "Sure, if you want to..."

Uuuugghhh.

"Yeah. So, let's get started." She said, inwardly cursing for putting herself in this predicament.

They stood across from each other, with the 1st crossing her arms despite her fatigue. "First, show me your stance."

Forcing himself to throw away any insecurity or self-consciousness, Cloud slipped into an offensive stance. Autumn's sharp, glowing eyes roved over his form.

"Your feet aren't far enough apart. If you're going with an offensive stance, you need to have solid footing so it's harder for your opponent to knock you off balance, and to attack stronger. Move your back foot away some more, turn it so it's horizontal, and bend your knees deeper."

He did just that, and instantly his stance improved. The 1st nodded her head in approval.

"Good. Now, bend your elbows a little. If you start off attacking or defending with your arms straight, you're going to get hurt from the opposing pressure and you'll get disarmed faster. And make sure you're holding it straight."

With those adjustments, Autumn decided it was perfect and drew her own blade. "Alright, that's good. Now, come at me."

The blonde hesitated. "Are you sure?"

"If this is because I'm a girl, I'm seriously going to punch you." She stated dryly.

"No, it's not because of that. I just..." Cloud fumbled for a proper explanation.

"I think I see what the problem is. Forget you know me. Forget we pretty much grew up together, forget you have anything to do with me. Just see me as an enemy and attack." The 1st instructed, though not without a steely edge to her tone.

Now she was all business, and Cloud knew it was useless to protest against her. Once she had her mind set, Autumn was never one to be convinced otherwise.

"That's easier said than done..." The blonde muttered.

Reluctantly, the blonde charged forward, swiping at her with a downward slash. She swiftly blocked and shoved him away, causing him to stumble. She pressed on, prompting him to hastily parry her attacks.

He was on the floor with Wings of Freedom pointed at his neck several minutes later.

"You're lacking focus and drive. Once I started attacking back, you panicked and just tried to instinctively fight back. Which is what you're supposed to do, except doing it with a mind out of focus doesn't help you in any way. When that happens, you're just frantically swinging a sword around." Autumn informed him, extending a hand.

"Okay, so what do you suggest?" Cloud asked, panting slightly.

"I'm going to go through proper counters, blocks and attacks with you slowly. Right now you're not entirely used to fighting with a blade. You're already doing really well though-you've practiced before, right?"

He shook his head. "No. This is my first time."

Autumn's sapphire eyes widened in astonishment. "Really? But...wow, you're pretty talented then. When I first started out I didn't last a minute with any SOLDIER, much less a 1st."

Cloud glanced away, his face flushed. "Oh. I guess that means I'm doing okay, right?"

"Okay doesn't even come close! Alright, let's try some more slowly this time."

After about an hour of personally training Cloud, the brunette finally understood why she was so out of it. It wasn't because of the torture itself (okay, maybe just a smidge), but the fears that resulted from it. She feared Zane hunting down her loved ones, she feared getting hurt again, she feared...well, in general.

And keeping it in wasn't helping anything, not with Angeal's death topping everything off. Oh right, it wasn't just his death, more like his _murder_.

She managed a smile as she praised Cloud for a job well done. "That was amazing, Cloud. You'll make SOLDIER in no time."

He smiled back. "Thanks. Hopefully I can catch up."

A weak laugh, and then she was sitting on the floor, absolutely drained. A groan escaped her lips as she mussed up her hair with frustrated hands.

Cloud looked at her in concern. "Autumn? You okay? Was it something I did?"

She shook her head, sighing through her nose. "No, it isn't anything you did. It's what I can't get past."

The blonde sat beside her, his neck bare since he discarded his scarf. "Okay...what's wrong?"

Finally she locked eyes with him, glowing sapphire meeting bright ocean blue. "Promise you won't say anything? You'll just...listen?"

He nodded.

"Okay..." Autumn breathed. "Ever since Genesis went rogue, I just thought I'd be smacking that LOVELESS maniac upside the head and dragging his over dramatic butt back to HQ. But then he even tried to kill me, and things just went spiraling out of control from there. When I...when I was tortured, I honestly considered just killing myself as a means of escape."

Cloud's eyes widened significantly, though he still did not say a word.

"But I knew it was the cowardly way to leave things. So I kept taking the pain I was dished out, even though I was screaming so much my throat went raw. Honestly, how stupid could I be to try an undercover mission? And lying there on that cold, hard floor, waiting to die...I was scared.

I was terrified, because I didn't really want to die yet. I have my sister to protect, and friends to take care of, and...and things I have to do. And then I saw you when I thought it was all over, walking over to me. At first, I thought you were an angel carting me off to the Lifestream or wherever,"

Autumn let out a dry laugh, wiping more sweat from her brow. "But it was all real. And even though I was ticked off that you didn't say anything and tried to hide from me, the relief I felt at seeing you again was so much greater, and to be alive and well. But that torture...it marked me. Not just physically, but mentally.

Emotionally.

I think I'm scared all the time now. I come in here every night to train, but whenever it comes to landing the killing blow, I freak. And when a gun is pointed at me or if a sword is about to hit me, I nearly lose it.

I'm scared of getting hurt again, I'm scared of dying, I'm scared of _killing_. And for some reason I've found no way to overcome it. It sucks, and it sucks even more that I keep seeing it in the back of my head. And to make matters worse, I murdered my own mentor in cold blood.

So what if he had issues? He thought the whole world was suffering just because he was different! And what about me? I'm different, and yet he thinks it's okay to have his pupils kill him to solve things? Did he think that would just _magically_ solve all of our problems? I went through _five days_ of torture, and he expects me to run him through? I should've...I should've had a Phoenix Down with me! I should've save him. And now I have to live with the fact that Zack and I are responsible for his death, even if he wanted us to do it.

What kind of mentor puts his students through that anyway? I...I-I had so many things to tell him, and-" At last the dam broke, the tears that had been so forcefully kept behind her eyelids spilling to run down her flushed cheeks.

Her body racked with sobs as Cloud reached for her, then hesitated. When she didn't pull away, he wrapped his arms around her lean frame, not minding the tears his shirt began to absorb. She laced her own around his waist, burying her head into his shoulder. Dark chocolate strands tickled his neck, which smelled heavily of roses and apples. The brunette was very warm, but that was most likely due to their training session.

For the first time since they were children, Cloud had seen his best friend, Autumn Gainsborough, cry.

But he'd comfort her until she was ready to plow past it, like she always did. And he'd do it as many times as she'd need. After all, he promised to be there whenever she was in a pinch.

He intended to keep that promise.

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><p><strong>AN: So, what do you think? Autumn finally lets it all out and Sephy meets one of my OCs. By the way, a reviewer named little101 was on the same page as me! I actually meant for this to happen before you reviewed, hahaha! Great minds think alike, eh? Review, favorite and follow! They inspire me to write more every time.**


	5. How To Crash A Party

**The Inevitable Crisis **

**Chapter 5: How To Crash A Party**

**Disclaimer: FFVII CC still doesn't belong to me...**

Keep Calm: Ugh, sorry for the delay.

Zack: Keep Calm's been kept busy.

Autumn: Yeah, living a very hectic life.

Keep Calm: Indeed I am. Sorry again, I'll try to make the updates less spaced out. Also, to clarify these things: I'm not telling anyone who Autumn is ending up with. It's supposed to be a surprise. Two: I will not be needlessly bashing any characters like Tifa that don't deserve it (even if they aren't my favorite characters).

Zack: Eh, I'm sure they'll forgive you enough to at least leave a review. Anyway, here's Chapter 5: How To Crash A Party~

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><p><strong>Autumn's POV<strong>

"I'm not going."

Cyan eyes bore into me. "Yes, you are. It has become an order from the Director."

I folded my arms. "I believe 1sts can refuse such orders, correct?"

"There is a limit to that granted power and you know it. The charity event is mandatory, Autumn."

I glared up at the towering general before me, not pleased in the least. "This isn't fair! What does it matter if I go or not? As long as you and Zack are there, it'll be enough right?"

A small, incredulous laugh escaped Sephy's lips. "Are you asking if the only female so far to make it into SOLDIER and dominate the ranks in only a few years is unnecessary?"

I pouted, mask off considering we were in his office. "Hey, don't say it like that. I haven't made that big of an impression. I'm pretty sure half the people hate me since I'm so...icy."

"Yet at the same time, they cannot deny your prowess or personality. If anything, these people you speak of are jealous of you."

His eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Is it possible that you are refusing to attend because you dislike the social interaction?"

I sighed. "Is it possible that you're making me go because you're being forced to go, too?"

Sephy's lips twitched in amusement. "Perhaps. But you do not need to dress up for the occasion, at least. Arriving in your usual attire should suffice. After all, we are representing SOLDIER."

"I still don't want to do it."

The general pinched the bridge of his nose, probably trying to suppress his exasperation.

"Autumn, I don't particularly care if you desire to attend or not, you are required to arrive and participate."

"But Sephyy-"

"Using that butchered version of my given name will not get you anywhere. Be there at 6 PM, and be punctual." He warned, sending me a stern glance.

For a brief few painful seconds, it almost felt like I was back with Angeal.

I sighed, blowing air into my cheeks. "Well this sucks. I was going to study more on the Ancients. Hojo just _had_ to make everything wordy. I started bringing along a dictionary just to understand the first two sentences."

A sonorous chuckle cause my disgruntled frown to deepen. "It's not funny!"

He waved a gloved hand. "No, I am amused because it is taking you this long to comprehend and understand the few scraps of reports and journals you managed to dig up."

"Hey, I can't be locked in there like you twenty-four seven. If I did, the Director would get mad at me. You have the perks of being the General." I defended, crossing my arms.

"There are not as many advantages as there are downfalls. What have you uncovered so far?" Sephy queried, cyan eyes locking onto me.

"Well, I know that being an Ancient is genetic. But during my time in the labs, Hojo took so many lab tests I was sure he'd have unraveled the mystery. Plus he had seven years to figure it out. But then again, genetics is pretty complicated. There's a theory that it's some kind of rare gene that's activated.

It feels deeper than that, though. Like...like the Planet _wants_ to connect with us, even when we try to block it out. I've been attempting to cut off my connection with the Planet ever since Modeoheim, and it feels like it keeps holding on to it, like it's keeping me from disconnecting."

My silver-haired friend stared at me in curiosity. "Keeping you from disconnecting? You speak as if the Planet has a mind of its own."

"It does." I stated, earning another incredulous look.

"Okay, well, off-topic. I'll explain another day. You won't understand."

Another sigh.

Sephy pinched the bridge of his nose. "By the day, this situation grows even more complicated. I must prepare for the charity and file some paperwork. I trust you will be keeping yourself busy until the appointed time?"

I made a face. "Paperwork, hm? I thought Felicity was in charge of that."

He snapped his head to me, eyes widening slightly. "How do you know about Felicity?"

I shrugged, standing from my own spot. "A little birdy told me. So, are you trying to look like you're actually busy when in reality you're going to see if you can weasel out of this event?"

Those cyan eyes that could switch from warm to deadly in half a second narrowed in annoyance.

"I was actually going to file some paperwork, for your information. Felicity takes care of it either when I wish not to or if I am too busy."

I snorted. "Riiigghht. Well, I have to go do more research anyway. See you, Sephy."

He humped, though waved a hand in parting. Tying my mask back on, I turned the handle and strolled out the door.

"Sakura!" A familiar voice called.

Turning, my eyes landed on a blonde infantryman.

"Oh, Cloud. What is it?"

Gaia, I seriously hoped I could hold my ground this time and not get so chummy with my childhood friend again, unlike our last encounter that still made me blush in embarrassment.

Thank the Planet I wore a mask.

Shyly he glanced away, rubbing the back of his head in a way that was strikingly similar to Zack's odd habit. Those two were spending _way_ too much time together. I worried that our next encounter would involve a gushing air of unnerving optimism and a string of lame pick-up lines. Gaia forbid that thing Zack tried he called a 'smolder'. It honestly made my heart cringe.

"Well, I was wondering if you could help me train again tomorrow, if you're not too busy."

Don't give in, don't give in, don't-

"I'll have to see. Usually the Director doesn't give me prior notice for assignments or missions."

Phew. It wasn't as good a put-down as I could've given, but seeing his face made it hard to reject him.

"Alright, thanks. And, uh..." He trailed off, hesitating for a few seconds.

I started inwardly panicking, thinking he'd bring up my break down or something.

"I...I was hoping that, maybe sometime when we're both free, we could catch up."

I felt my so carefully frozen heart begin to thaw at his bashful, yet sincere tone. Cloud...why must you know how to pull at my heartstrings?

Dear goddess, I was starting to sound like a character out of LOVELESS.

"I don't know...we'll have to see. But I'd love to, it'd be nice to know what you've been up to." I smiled underneath my mask, causing the two of us to blush.

Curse you unraveling soft spot from childhood! I was seriously _this_ close to spitting out a string of profanity to fully express my frustration. I felt like my entire chest was beating loudly, which did not help lessen my embarrassment or confliction.

"Uh, great, then. Could we...exchange numbers? You know, to see when we could arrange this?" Cloud murmured softly, his nerves still on a high.

I shrugged, attempting to wave off the weird feelings I was experiencing. Nervousness and such were things I never liked having.

"Sure." Pulling out my PHS and ultimately dooming myself for further contact with Cloud, we swapped info and awkwardly stood there, wondering what to say.

Despite knowing each other for years and hardly having any uncomfortable situations, they still existed and happened. This was one of them, unfortunately.

"Okay, all set! Now, I uh...I need to go research some stuff!" I stammered, power walking down the hall.

"Sakura!" A voice belonging to a person I really didn't want to see called out.

I turned, not lessening my pace. Though I was surprised when I saw his change in hairstyle. "What's up with your hair?"

"You don't like it? I wanted to change it after...you know." Zack frowned, patting his head in self-consciousness.

"It's weird. I guess it suits you." I shrugged, not realizing until a few seconds later that could've been taken as an insult.

"Thanks! Uh, so you're going to the charity event, right?" My partner grinned, which only made me want to face-palm.

How could I ever think Zack would take such a comment negatively?

"Yeah, but only because Sephy forced me into it. And I'm not really up to running away for my life if I don't show up and he hunts me down in vengeance." I answered, handing my PHS over to the guard stationed outside the data room.

"Well, guess I'll see you there, then. You look busy." Zack stated, observing me.

"Yup. It's called having a life. See you in a few hours." I replied curtly, hurriedly entering the data room.

I immediately went to work. A thought crossed into my mind, one that I'd been pushing back for a while out of dread. But now I needed to explore it.

"Now where are you..." I muttered, scanning the shelves.

My fingers finally brushed against the files I'd been looking for.

"There you are." I sighed, pulling it off the shelf. "_The Calamity From the Skies: Jenova_."

Opening the files, I sat down at a desk and began to delve into the research about the alien.

* * *

><p><strong>With Zack-hours later<strong>

He was conflicted about going to the charity event. On one hand, it was an honor that they'd asked for his presence to represent SOLDIER. On the other, he'd rather spend the evening with his girlfriend.

And Autumn was also going, so that made possibly two negatives considering her mood lately.

But Lazard insisted that the public needed to see the fresh new 1st face and it was also in a way their promotion party, since he and Autumn never really received one due to the hectic events.

So there he was, standing inside a fancy building wearing his SOLDIER attire. At least he didn't have to dress up. Sephiroth had been the first one there, and surprisingly he was the second. Where was his partner? She was usually never late. It was always the opposite.

"Hey, have you seen Sakura?" Zack questioned the silver-haired general beside him.

In reality, Sephiroth wasn't all that intimidating. Unless you were watching him fight seriously. Then he kind of got this scary face and his pupils narrowed into slits.

It freaked the Puppy out _just_ a little.

"If I had, she would be here on time. And after telling her so specifically, too..." The general sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Zack smiled, attempting to lighten the atmosphere. "Hey, I'm sure she'll be here soon! She hates being late."

"Yes, I am well aware. And yet, it is nearly 6 o'clock with no sign of her."

Then, as if being summoned by his words, there she was. Zack had expected a stoic expression with glowing, determined sapphire eyes.

Instead she appeared almost sickly, her skin pallid and the dark circles under her eyes most prominent. Her bright eyes were now dimmed and absent of the usual sparkle she carried.

"Are you okay?" Zack asked, concerned for her well-being.

Autumn didn't even glance at him, only sending a small nod in return. Her broad shoulders were slumped, as if in defeat.

"You sure? You look a little si-" The ravenette continued, reaching out to grab her arm.

She jerked away, sending him a harsh glare. "I'm fine. Leave me alone."

He raised his hands in surrender. "Sorry! But what's going on with you? I've barely seen you at all the past few days, and you keep ignoring my calls-"

Apparently she was really not in the mood for conversation, because she just walked away to speak with the hosts of the charity, putting on a false countenance of cheer.

"...oookaayyy...that was a bit rude." Zack pouted.

Sephiroth glanced at him. "She has not been doing well this week. Buster has become her responsibility and to add to it, she is receiving more and more paperwork and assignments as a 1st Class. Soon you will experience the same. It is a hard process, but she will adjust in time."

He hadn't noticed it when he spoke to her earlier that day, but Zack now realized she'd been just as pale and tired during their conversation. Man, when did he go blind?

"Oh." He replied dumbly.

"If you will excuse me, the champagne looks most inviting, especially since the media will arrive soon if they aren't already here." The general sighed, walking over to the table with said bubbling alcohol.

Zack refused to even entertain the idea of drinking. He'd seen what it did to people who weren't careful or aware of their limits. Unfortunately, he was one of those people. Even though he could drink if he desired to-the drinking age in Midgar was 18.

"Are you SOLDIER 1st Class, Zachary Fair?" A warm voice queried.

He turned to face the host of the charity: Clayton Roberts.

Clayton was a few inches below Zack's own height, though his air of authority and cordiality made up for it. Shinra had done charity events and donations to Clayton and his cause several times in the past; though it was never enough to fully fund anything.

"Uh, yeah. You're Mr. Roberts, right? It's nice to meet you." The ravenette smiled, extending a hand in greeting.

"Yes, it is a pleasure to finally meet you as well, Mr. Fair." Roberts returned a grin and the handshake, a slim glass of champagne in his free hand.

"Oh, call me Zack! Mr. Fair's my pops, it sounds weird to be called that." Zack grinned, revealing his rows of sparkling pearly teeth.

Clayton chuckled. "Yes, I'm sure. Well Zack, enjoying yourself so far? I hope you plan to make your own donation, it would truly help move the cause along."

He scratched the back of his head. "About that...what's your cause again?"

"I don't blame you for having it slip your mind. It is to bring supplies and means of rebuilding to the old mining town, Corel. The people there are barely hanging on by threads ready to snap. I've been there-I know." The man elaborated, a pitying shine to his dark brown eyes.

The press had arrived a while ago, Zack had noticed immediately because they were a clamoring group of flashing lights and yelling, but now they'd turned their assault onto himself and the gracious host, disorienting the now distracted 1st Class.

As he attempted to answer the questions presented to him in a frenzy, the ravenette couldn't help but feel like something was off. Glancing around, he saw Autumn slink back into the shadows, splitting off from the Turks Cissnei and some girl with a high ponytail, who also had guarded expressions and were moving fast.

So were Tseng and Sephiroth, who went to shield President Shinra and Rufus. The lights began to flicker, soon blacking out completely and plunging the room into darkness. Now on guard, Zack drew his sword, glancing around wearily as guests began to panic.

And then the chaos erupted.

Windows were blasted apart and shattered, startling the masses of guests in the room as shards of sparkling glass showered upon them. A flash bomb went off, causing Zack to shield his eyes. The lights switched back on as Ravens and AVALANCHE insurgents poured in from all directions.

Knowing that the President and Rufus were in good hands, he kept close to Clayton Roberts. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he'd be damned if he was going to let anyone get hurt. People screamed and made it harder to locate anyone.

"Sakura, take the left! Shotgun, call it in! We need reinforcements!" He heard Cissnei shout.

Despite being so young for a Turk, she really knew what she was doing.

"Hrraah!" Zack heard his partner let out a battle cry, the swinging of her blade filling the air.

"Zack!" The copper-haired Turk called, catching his attention. "I need you to help escort all of these people out of here!"

"On it!" He replied, ushering the citizens out the back door and slicing down enemies left and right.

Pools of blood sullied the immaculate polished marble floors, and several times Zack had to keep people from slipping and falling. Some flecks had marked his skin. Though the feeling was uncomfortable, it was not unfamiliar nor of great importance at the moment.

The press, of course, were the hardest to motivate, and he could not locate President Shinra or Rufus. A Raven descended from the air to try and tackle Zack to the ground, only for the 1st to whip around, stabbing the creature in the gut and tossing it aside.

So much blood, and so many lives lost. The ravenette felt his conscience stir, questioning if killing was really acceptable under any circumstances. What would Angeal do?

He didn't have time to think about it as he protected the fleeing guests. After everyone was out, Zack followed them to ensure they weren't ambushed. It happened a few times, resulting in ichor splattering onto his uniform.

When it was safe, he faced the terrified guests. "Listen everyone, I'm so sorry this happened. I don't know what's going on, but just know that SOLDIER's got it under control. Go home fast, and stay inside."

Quickly they dispersed, hurrying home as some cried and others remained silent in shock. Zack returned to the building, cutting down Ravens and insurgents alike. When he finally reached where he last saw Cissnei and Autumn, he froze.

Sephiroth was shielding the President from the onslaught of enemies as his partner battled a teen in a full-body suit, a visor shielding his eyes and a mask concealing his identity.

"You are so very close to completion, Sister. Even though I cannot stand you, Mother is very pleased with your progress. It's almost time to begin your training." The dark-haired male stated as they clashed swords.

Autumn twirled, sending him back with a side kick. "Is that so? Wow, I'm so honored. Really, I am. Here's the thing: I don't give a _shit_ about your freaking stupid plans, you psychopathic maniac! You are seriously stupid if you think I'll go anywhere with you after you tortured me to near-death! All you've done with your mumbo jumbo is get me pissed, so congrats for that."

He casted Thundaga, causing her to leap out of the way and charge from a different angle.

"You will come in time. After all, how long did you expect to stay on this side?"

His smooth words seemed to be affecting her, however slightly. What was he talking about? Had Autumn considered going rogue? Had these two met before?

"That's not up to you to decide!" The brunette snarled, viciously assaulting the mysterious adversary.

Zack locked eyes with Cissnei, who managed to make it over to him as Ravens and insurgents began focusing their attention on them.

"Cissnei, what do you know about this?" He questioned.

"I don't know anything, Zack." The copper-haired Turk answered, though it was hard to tell if she was lying or not.

All he knew was that Autumn was facing off against a seemingly formidable enemy. She might be a fighter, but that didn't mean she was invincible.

"I'm gonna go help her!" He called, though she shook her head.

"If you get between those two, you're definitely going to die. This fight between them is personal. Don't worry; Sakura can handle herself."

Zack continued slaughtering the seemingly endless Ravens as he watched the battle. Autumn swung her legs out to try and trip the young man, but he back flipped and threw a kick at her stomach, only to meet empty air.

Autumn vaulted over his head and slammed her leg against his back in the form of a roundhouse, sending him flying. He rolled to dodge her descending axe kick, whipping around to brandish his dual blades.

She ducked, swiping at his legs again only with Wings of Freedom. He barely winced at the blows hit home and kneed her in the gut. Autumn gasped, narrowly dodging his next attack.

When she began to glow a light purple, however, she grinned. Her blade glowed a molten red as she swung her sword, blades of fire shooting out as a result. The teen dodged every attempt, except two.

The first barely cut his right arm, but was enough to cut the fabric and singe the skin. The second collided with his chest, causing him to grunt in pain as the searing heat easily incinerated the suit's fabric and burning the tender flesh underneath. It blew him down to crash against the hard marble.

Autumn was there in an instant, her legs straddling him as she poised her weapon above her head, readying the finishing blow. The boy's visor had been knocked off, glowing yellow-green eyes staring back at her in challenge.

"Go ahead Sister. End it. Nothing you do will prevent what is coming. Mother will be proud."

Zack was expecting a quick, clean kill. To see Wings of Freedom get driven into the male's chest where his heart was. But lately, his partner had been surprising him, and continued to when she hesitated. The killing blow never came.

A smirk outlined the mask on the stranger's face. "What? Afraid? Have your nerves finally frayed to the point where you can no longer end a life?"

Autumn's eyes narrowed into slits. "Shut your damn mouth, asshole."

And with that, she jammed the butt of her sword at his head. Tried to, at least. He moved too quickly, sending her sprawling across the once spotless marble.

"Nice try, Sister. But hesitation is always the bell ringing defeat. Our next encounter will be the last time you involve yourself with Shinra. At least, on their side."

As swiftly and unexpectedly as he arrived, the teenager vanished when the lights blacked out again, practically acting as blindfolds to shield their eyes while he escaped. When they came back on, there was nothing but darkened pools of blood, lifeless bodies, and feathers. Turks swarmed in to help finish off the last of the insurgents and Ravens, and to clean up the mess.

Zack watched his partner as he cut down another Raven. Her chest heaved, breathing labored and fast, and eyes wide with shock. Wings of Freedom clattered to the floor from her hand, the sharp ringing of metal reverberating throughout the cavernous space.

He heard her murmur four words that nearly made his heart stop: "I couldn't do it."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry for the delayed update! Got sick, hacking like crazy, and Christmas came out of nowhere. So Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all who celebrate it! Review, favorite and follow! They inspire me and make my day!**


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